About this Dish
Norway's national dish — lamb and cabbage slow-cooked in a simple broth of salt, water and black peppercorns until completely tender. Nothing more. Voted Norway's national dish in 1972. Made only in autumn when fresh lamb is available. The extraordinary tenderness of the meat after hours of gentle cooking and the depth of flavour from the pepper demonstrate that the simplest dishes are often the greatest.
IngredientsServes 4
🐑Bone-in lamb shoulder or neck, 1.5kg cut into large chunks
🥬White cabbage, 1 large head (about 1.2kg) cut into thick wedges
💧Water, 500ml
🧂Salt, 2 teaspoons
🫙Whole black peppercorns, 2 tablespoons
🌾Plain flour, 2 tablespoons (optional, for dusting lamb)
🥔Boiled potatoes, to serve
Method
1
Lightly dust the lamb pieces in flour if using — this is optional but helps thicken the broth slightly. Don't trim the fat; it is essential to the flavour and tenderness of the dish.2
Place a layer of cabbage wedges on the bottom of a large, heavy pot. Add a layer of lamb pieces on top, then scatter over some of the peppercorns and a little salt. Repeat the layers until all the lamb, cabbage, salt and peppercorns are used, finishing with a layer of cabbage on top.3
Pour the water into the pot — it should just come about a third of the way up the ingredients. The cabbage will release a great deal of liquid as it cooks, so do not be tempted to add more water.4
Bring the pot to the boil over a medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to the lowest possible simmer. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface in the first few minutes.5
Cover the pot tightly with a lid and cook on the gentlest simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours, without stirring. The dish is ready when the lamb is completely fall-off-the-bone tender and the cabbage is soft and silky.6
Taste the broth and adjust the salt if needed. Serve directly from the pot into deep bowls, making sure everyone gets plenty of the rich, peppery broth alongside the lamb and cabbage.7
Serve with plain boiled potatoes on the side to soak up the broth. Traditionally, nothing else is needed — this dish is perfect as it is.User Reviews
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